Edible vegetable fat-composition

Abstract

An edible vegetable fat-composition is provided that does not contain hydrogenated fat, that contains 15-45% stearic acid, less than 15% palmitic acid and 45-85% of unsaturated C18 fatty acid residues such that the combined amount of acids with 16 or more carbon atoms is at least 95%, wherein the 2-position of the glycerides of the fat-composition comprises 5-45% saturated fatty acid residues and 95-55% unsaturated fatty acid residues. The composition can be prepared with the use of ester interchange. The fat-composition has elevated solid fat contents at 20-30° C. It can be used e.g. for preparing edible plastic fat products such as margarine and spreads.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Edible vegetable fat-composition not containing hydrogenated fat having a stearic acid residue content of 15-45%,   a palmitic acid residue content of less than 15%,   a content of unsaturated C18 fatty acid residues of 45-85%,   the combined amount of fatty acid residues having a chain length of 16 or more carbon atoms being at least 95%,   the ratio of (HOH+HHO) to (HLH+HHL) triglycerides being less than 1.0, which is characterized in that on the 2-position of the triglycerides of the fat-composition 5-45% of the fatty acid residues are saturated and 95-55% are unsaturated.     
     
     
       2. Fat-composition according to claim 1 which does not comprise fractionated fat. 
     
     
       3. Fat-composition according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the fat constituting the fat-composition has been subjected to ester interchange involving all three positions of the triglycerides. 
     
     
       4. Fat-composition according to claim 3, wherein 10-100%, of the fat constituting the fat-composition has been subjected to ester interchange. 
     
     
       5. Fat-composition according to claim 1, wherein the fat constituting the fat-composition is derived from a high stearic acid residue containing variety of soybean oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, palm oil, maize oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil or a mixture of two or more of these oils. 
     
     
       6. Fat-composition according to claim 1, wherein the fat constituting the fat-composition is derived from a single type of plant. 
     
     
       7. Fat-composition according to claim 1, wherein the 2-position of the glycerides of the fat-composition comprises 5-40% of saturated fatty acid residues. 
     
     
       8. Fat-composition according to claim 1 having a palmitic acid residue content of 0-12%. 
     
     
       9. Fat-composition according to claim 1 having a stearic acid content of 15-35%. 
     
     
       10. Fat-composition according to claim 1 having a content of unsaturated C 18  acid residues of 50-85%. 
     
     
       11. Fat-composition according to claim 1, wherein at least 15% of the unsaturated C 18  acid residues are polyunsaturated acid residues. 
     
     
       12. Fat-composition according to claim 1, having a ratio of (HOH+HHO) to (HLH+HHL) triglycerides being less than 0.85. 
     
     
       13. Process for preparing an edible vegetable fat-composition that does not comprise hydrogenated fat comprising A. subjecting a non-hydrogenated vegetable fat having a stearic acid residue content of at least 15%, a palmitic acid residue content of less than 15% and a content of unsaturated C18 acid residues of at least 30% to ester interchange involving all three positions of the glycerides to obtain an ester-interchanged fat, and   B. blending 10-100% of the ester-interchanged fat with up to 90% of vegetable non-hydrogenated fat such that the resulting fat-composition has a stearic acid residue content of 15-45%,   has a palmitic acid residue content of less than 15%,   has a content of unsaturated C18 acid residues of 45-85%, comprises at least 95% fatty acid residues having a chain length of 16 or more carbon atoms,   the ratio of (HOH+HHO) to (HLH+HHL) triglycerides being less than 1.0,   comprises on the 2-position of the glycerides 5-45% saturated fatty acid residues and 95-55% of unsaturated fatty acid residues.     
     
     
       14. Process according to claim 13 wherein the ester interchange is carried out at a temperature at which the fat is substantially fully liquid. 
     
     
       15. Process according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the ester interchange is a random interesterification. 
     
     
       16. Process according to claim 13 wherein the ester interchange is effected using a 1,3-specific enzyme and by comprising the steps of A1. subjecting the fat to enzymic ester interchange in the presence of sufficient water to allow partial glycerides to form and acyl migration to occur, and   A2. causing re-esterification of the partial glycerides to occur, to obtain the ester-interchanged fat.   
     
     
       17. Edible plastic fat product comprising at least a fat phase wherein the fat phase comprises a fat-composition according to claim 1.